01 · Start with the ideaTurn a rough idea into a clear plan.
Hephaestus doesn't rush your one-line idea straight into files. First it works out what the agent is for, where it will run, what it's allowed to touch, and what should stay private — so what gets built is actually what you meant.
02 · Pick what to buildOne agent, a team, or a package to share.
Before building anything, Hephaestus decides which of three things you actually need — a single agent, a team of agents that work together, or a clean package you can share — so one prompt never gets mashed into a confusing all-in-one.
03 · Learn carefullyNew skills have to earn their place.
When an agent picks up a new skill, Hephaestus doesn't trust it right away. The skill has to show it actually works first. Only then does the agent start relying on it — so a bad habit can't quietly take over.
04 · Run anywhereBuild once, run it in your own tools.
The same agent works in Claude Code, Codex, Gemini CLI, Agentlas Desktop, and AGENTS.md. The real instructions live in one open place, so you're never locked into a single app.